What seminar trainers do you suggest? - Page 4

Deanna you can attend seminars as a spectator and do not need a dog.  As for the Flinks seminar in Pennsylvania it is $50 a day or $125 for the three day seminar.

       Ibso52,,,Thanks for the response....I just noticed the other thread about the Flinks seminar in IN..I will have to check out which is nearer to me .....Thanks...
          Deanna...: )

Deanna,

Do for sure, I know the club personally myself and they are a great group of people to be around.

I'm definitely making plans for two of the mentioned seminars, dropping my deposit in the mail this week in hopes of snagging a working spot. Can't wait. :)

Definitely Ivan Balabanov and Michael Ellis - both positive reinforcement trainers, very similar methods, both calm, patient and the dogs trust them.   Can really learn by watching their dvds and Michael Ellis is on you tube for free views.

which seminars did you decide on kelly?

I have done seminars by Ellis and Balabanov and both are great.  However, I really do enjoy Michael's seminars the best.  Have gone annually for going on 8 years now I believe to an Ellis seminar and always learn something new.  I have ACDs and he never looks down on them (neither does Ivan for that matter). 

With my current girl I have done just obedience with him at the last seminar instead of obedience and protection due to our focus on getting her UD and then her OTCH.  I encourage my AKC friends to attend as I think he has a lot to offer the obedience person no matter the venue.  Even when I only do obedience, Michael still manages to make time to give my girl a bite or two for fun.  It doesn't hurt that Frost and Michael's dog Pi are buds who hang out together during the evening gatherings during the seminars :-)



At the end of the day, I don't think you can go wrong with either Ivan or Michael. 

im curious how your acd does in the protection work?

Dave -

My ACDs are fun to work in protection.  I have trained about 3 of them in bitework and they showed varying degrees of talent.  I would never recommend them to someone serious about sport bitework as I have found that it is hit or miss in potential.  However, if someone enjoys the breed and is willing to put more work into training than you would with a GSD or Malinois I say go for it.  The dogs that I have trialed will never make it on the podium and they define club dogs but both they and I have a blast and that is all I care about.

They can be civil but most of mine are pure prey driven.  I have known of a few ACDs that were K9 patrol dogs but they are few and far between in my experience.

This is my girl I mentioned above working when she was around 18 months old:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGQTE3gnY3A

It was hotter than hell that day :-p

And this is her a month prior playing with Michael Ellis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZrt-k5AAvc

This is my old boy who I titled to a Schutzhund A before a previous injury during weight pulling reappeared and I chose not to trial him further due to having to do the wall.  This video was taken when I was trying out my new videocamera.  He had not done bitework for a year or so and is 9 in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXk2IZys5U8

There are several SchH/IPO 3 dogs in europe that I know of.  Here is a video of one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgsC3HudfCk